TAMPA, Fla. —You don’t have to believe in ghosts to wonder what George Steinbrenner is thinking about today’s Yankees. Nor do you have to be a genius to know The Boss would’ve already cleaned house as The Great Drought enters year 17.
One way or another, Steinbrenner lives on. He’s either embedded in the memory banks of older fans, used as a cudgel against his tame son Hal or else making former Yankees miss the good old days when finishing second was considered a tank job.
Ron Guidry falls in that last sub-set. But unlike other stars of the past who only show up once a year for Old Timers Day, Gator is in camp every day as a guest instructor.
That gives him a close-up perspective on the generation gap. He’s unafraid to say Steinbrenner, the original Boss, would be aghast.
Not just because the Bombers haven’t been champions since 2009. It’s the fact the Dodgers, of all franchises, have replaced the Yankees as the industry’s richest and most dangerous opponent.
“George would’ve found a way to match the Dodgers,” Guidry said on Saturday. “Whatever they did, he would’ve done better. If they signed one star, George would’ve signed two. He would’ve tried his best to stop what’s going on.”
Guidry delivered his verdict in a calm, measured voice. Unlike his late 70s teammate Goose Gossage, who criticized GM Brian Cashman so frequently he was finally excommunicated, the great lefthander doesn’t have a get-off-my-lawn gene.
He’s a truth teller who isn’t bitter about getting older. Guidry doesn’t resent this generation of major leaguers, especially the less talented ones who are making more money than an old school, tobacco-chewing Yankee could’ve ever imagined.
That’s an important distinction. Guidry is on good terms with the current hierarchy, including Hal Steinbrenner. His praise for The Boss isn’t meant as criticism. Guidry is smart enough to know how much the industry and its owners have changed.
But he’s also convinced the Yankees of the 70s were driven to succeed by The Boss’ frequent blow-ups. Steinbrenner’s medium of choice was the tabloids, and players used to live in fear of those 96-point headlines authored by the man himself.
“One way or another, you’d go looking for the newspaper every morning to see what George had to say,” Guidry said.
“Today, it’s really calm (in the clubhouse). When I was playing, there was always tension, guys were always looking over their shoulders, like ‘what’s next?’”
Guidry smiled as he drew a contrast to the present day media and how the Yankees no longer have to worry about being blasted by the owner.
“It’s actually boring this way,” Guidry said. “The players today don’t have to deal with the tension. They’ve never experienced that.
“But George knew what he was doing. He’d wait to see if you’d stand up to him. Because if you had the guts to do that, then he knew you weren’t afraid of anyone. That’s the kind of player he wanted on his team.”
Guidry went on to cite one of Steinbrenner’s most enduring attributes: he loved the Yankees fiercely enough to always be looking for ways to give them an edge.
Despite his reputation for uncontrollable anger, he was actually a keen businessman who realized the Yankees would eventually need additional sources of revenue. Tickets, hot dogs and beer sales wouldn’t be enough,
Along with Ted Turner, who founded TBS, Steinbrenner was a pioneer of the first wave of regional sports networks. The Boss was determined to stop giving away broadcasts for free on the MSG Network. That’s how the YES Network was born.
He and team president Randy Levine laid the groundwork for the new Stadium, which was full of corporate suites. By that point the Yankees’ business model had changed radically from the late 70s.
But the sport has continued to evolve in a way that Steinbrenner may or may not have realized at the time of his passing in 2010.
There are more wealthy owners than ever who can compete with the Yankees’ portfolio. Front offices are populated by highly educated executives. The era of ex-players who became bad general managers is long gone.
And then there’s the Dodgers. It’s understandable that Guidry believes Steinbrenner could’ve defeated them in any bidding war. That’s The Boss that Guidry knew.
But today’s Yankees hierarchy is up against Guggenheim Baseball Management, an equity and investment empire that funds the Dodgers. Their assets are worth an estimated $330-$345 billion.
No one can touch the Dodgers’ riches. Not the Steinbrenner family, not even Mets owner Steve Cohen.
Although Guggenheim is playing within the current rules, it’s likely Steinbrenner would’ve challenged the commissioner and the other 28 owners to re-think that equation,
Is it fair for a team to use other peoples’ money? The Yankees aren’t the only ones asking that question. It may be become a focal point in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Guidry doesn’t have the answer, but his endorsement of The Boss had less to do with money than heart. His memory is shaped by a man who hated to lose.
Which is why, when asked how The Boss would respond to the current championship drought in the Bronx, Guidry smiled so broadly his eyes momentarily turned into slits.
“George would not be happy right now,” he said. “You can be sure about that.”
Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
